If you write fiction, then creating characters is a must-learn skill. Today I talk to Jen Blood about creating memorable characters. In the intro, I mention the new Draft2Digital Universal Book Links, digital-reader.com/2016/08/02/kindle-unlimited-launches-in-japan-costs-980-yen-a-month/">Amazon launch KU in Japan, digital-reader.com/2016/08/01/apple-launches-instagram-account-for-ibooks-to-market-book-quotes-reviews-and-more/">Apple launch an Instagram account for iBooks and I discuss lessons learned from the Forbes Richest Author List. The corporate sponsorship for this show pays for hosting and transcription. This podcast episode is sponsored by 99 Designs, where you can get all kinds of designs for your author business including book covers, merchandising, branding and business cards, illustrations and artwork and much more. You can get a Powerpack upgrade which gives your project more chance of getting noticed by going to: 99Designs.com/joanna Jen Blood is the author of the bestselling Erin Solomon mysteries and a phenomenal editor at AdianEditing.com. Her first non-fiction book, The 5 Day Fiction Fix: Creating complex characters, is out now. You can listen above or on iTunes or Stitcher or watch the video here, read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below. * On Jen's new book about creating complex characters. * On what constitutes a character and ways to make readers care about characters. * The way that interaction with secondary characters informs readers about the central character. * How Jen prepares to write her own fictional characters and the dividing line between what readers need to know and what they don't. * Tips for describing a character if you're writing from first person point of view. * On character arcs and how important they are. * Realistic character motivation and approaching big subjects from a very individual point of view. * How to make our writing more emotional while being appropriate for your genre and your characters. * Some definitions of character types and what secondary characters are there for. * The most common mistake writers make with character. You can find Jen at AdianEditing.com and JenBlood.com and on Twitter @jenblood Transcript of Interview with Jen Blood Joanna: Hi everyone. I'm Joanna Penn from thecreativepenn.com. And today, I'm here with Jen Blood. Hi, Jen! Jen: Hi, Joanna. Joanna: It's great to have you back on the show.